1 April 2017

Pass on the chocolate eggs and opt for the free-range, organic real deal on Easter morning (or any morning). Kate uses Herbie’s spice mixes, but of course you can substitute with your favourites. Note these recipes use a regular 15ml tablespoon.

For paprika oil, mix paprika and olive oil in a small dish until well combined then leave to settle. • Combine yoghurt with Turkish spice mix and a salt to taste. Spoon into two shallow serving dishes. • Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and carefully crack eggs into water (or crack into a small cup then pour into pan). Simmer for 3 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon onto kitchen towel to remove excess moisture, then place two eggs in each dish of yoghurt. • Drizzle the paprika oil over eggs, sprinkle with sumac and a little salt, and serve with toasted Turkish bread. Can also be served with extra Aleppo pepper and fresh mint and/or parsley.

Try adding chorizo, spinach or avocado t this South American take on mushrooms and eggs, or make a large batch in a roasting tray and bake the eggs on top when feeding a crowd, serving with soft tortillas. Sprinkle Herbie’s Brazilian spice blend – paprika, ginger, salt, garlic, onion, cumin, coriander seed, coriander leaf, allspice, cinnamon, pepper, and chilli – on mushrooms when sautéeing or barbecueing.

600g (1lb 5oz) large portobello mushrooms, halved and thickly sliced

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1½ tbsp Herbie's Brazilian spice blend

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

½ tsp salt

2 large eggs

micro coriander, to serve (optional)

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Serves: 2 as a meal

Melt butter with olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add spice blend and mushrooms and saute for 5–8 minutes until tender. Stir through red wine vinegar and salt and cook for a further minute. Mushrooms can be kept warm at this stage. • Poach or fry (in a non-stick frying pan) the eggs until they are cooked to your liking. Place on top of mushrooms and garnish with micro coriander and a pinch of Brazilian spice blend and serve immediately.

Kate Hemphill’s light and easy everyday fare with culinary spices and herbs. She is a trained chef who has worked as a recipe writer and cookery teacher. She contributed the recipes to Ian Hemphill’s best-selling Spice and Herb Bible and you will find more of her wonderful recipes on theHerbies spices website.

Juniper Roasted Trout with Fennel & Orange Salad

Enjoy the pine-like aroma of juniper with seafood, which also goes well with the fruit in this quick and easy salad. Use lower GI Carisma potatoes if available.

2 trout fillets (120g/4½ oz each)

1 tsp juniper berries, lightly crushed

2 handfuls of mixed leaves

1 large (or two small) orange, peeled and sliced into rounds

1 large (or two small) bulb fennel, very finely sliced

4 small new potatoes, skin on, cooked until tender and halved

10 mint leaves

2 tbsp pomegranate arils

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Serves: 2

Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. • Rub juniper berries onto fillets and season with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Wrap lightly in foil and place on a baking tray. Cook for 12–15 minutes until flaking easily. • Combine salad ingredients and dress with a little olive oil. Arrange on a plate or plates and top with trout.